Hola Seville

The Guadiana International Bridge

" Hola! Como Se llama"? I asked. ( Hello, what is your name?)

" Mi nombre es Gabreilla" y tu? She replied( My name is Gabriella and yours?)

At last, I was getting to practice the Spanish that I have tried to learn during the times of confinement at home during the Covid times, which has fortunately gotten eclipsed with time. After deboarding the bus we headed for the AirBnB accommodation in the heart of the city. I exchanged a few pleasantries with the cab driver in Spanish before meeting Gabriella, the owner of the accommodation. It felt extremely gratifying to see someone understand what I was saying!

Torren Seville

It was Christmas eve in the year that just ended when I was travelling from Faro to Seville in Spain. It is a journey of 2 hours and 45 minutes by road and I had chosen Flixbus which was not only comfortable but also provided great scenic views en route. The sight of the orchards of oranges/ tangerines in lush green fields were very captivating. We passed by the impressive Guaidana International bridge spanning over the Guaidana River, with one end in Portugal and the other end in Spain(at Ayamonte). This bridge which is toll-free has drastically cut down the travel time between the two countries. After almost one and a half hours of travel, the bus halted at Huelva, a small port town, The town is surrounded by beautiful beaches making it an ideal place for beach lovers in summer. The journey continued till we sighted Torren Seville( or the Seville Tower, the tallest building in the Andalusia region of Spain) which is very close to the Plaza de Armas bus station. 

The Cathedral

Quickly, after going around the beautiful accommodation we headed for the town. The narrow cobbled streets of the downtown were humming with activity and we were eager to buy some groceries as otherwise, the stores would close in a few hours for Christmas only to reopen after two days.

The Christmas Illuminations in the City Centre

Barrio Santa Cruz is the heart of Seville, centred around the Cathedral with a maze of winding streets. It is home to excellent dining places, museums, and the nightlife of the city. The first glimpse of the cathedral and the towering Giralda tower left us wonder-struck just for its sheer size and opulence. Seville is world-renowned for its majestic architecture, and flamenco dancing. A visit remains incomplete without flavouring the tapas in one of the hundreds of tapas bars that are an integral part of life here. The overwhelming Plaza de Espana built-in Renaissance style with a diameter of 200m is the hub of most of the activities in the city centre.

The Giralda Tower

While we were still exploring the city hundreds of neon lights were switched on that illuminated the city like a fairyland. Every street was crammed with onlookers and tourists and music blared from the cafes and cafeterias adding to the charm. It is one of the safest cities for women solo travellers as even during the late hours of the night the place remains peaceful.

It was a long day full of assimilating different cultures and meeting friendly people. We returned back to our place by a different route as it is very easy to get lost in the maze of streets here. I will take you to the beautiful places and the experiences devoured during my stay in Seville in the next post.

PS- All pics are mine